"Producing the number would... potentially violate Americans’ privacy in the process, Brooker said..."

Parsing this leads to two possibilities: 1) The NSA is seriously concerned about their practices in regard to privacy or2) they are so maxed out with violating citizens' privacy's that they simply can't violate any more at this time.

This all sounds so, so familiar. Like way back in the 1950's when preachers and school principals were predicting doom and gloom because comic books "...ARE ADDICTIVE, HARMFUL, AND DANGEROUS IN THE HANDS OF CHILDREN."

Just imagine the outcry when Dr Farnum discovers that 12-year-olds can read comic books on their smartphones! And do you know what that leads to? Porn!

Somewhere in the USA, corporate lobbyists are gathering and secretly making plans to criminalize non-tariff barrier activities. Which will lead to the following warning:Use a tit, go to jail. It's the law!

"Beginning in 2014, we will itemize a portion of business costs as a separate line item to be more transparent," he said. “In 2014, we will not increase the price of Limited Basic or Digital Preferred video service. We will be instituting a toilet flush fee to reflect the fact that Comcast executives are full of crap and need to continually empty this crap to make room for new, exciting and innovative crap that is designed to make our valued customers' experience even more crappy."